Syria’s information minister clearly stated that the mythical undefeatable Israeli army was defeated by resistance; not diplomacy.

Muhsin Bilal, Syria’s information minister, said that the trifecto of Olmert, the prime minister, Livni, the foreign minister, and Barak, the defense minister of the Zionist regime was defeated not once, but a few times by the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine.

This Syrian politician added in a conference held last night in Damascus that the defeat of the enemy in the 33-Day-War in Lebanon caused some of the Israeli leaders to resign – including the minister of defense, the head of the army, and the commander of the northern forces.

Bilal stated that the Zionist regime is facing problems in its system and government in addition to rebuilding the army.

This Syrian official stated that the Golan Heights must be freed from the grips of the Zionist regime.

The movements of the Saudi Arabian government after the Gaza War, where the Zionist army was defeated, are trying to show that this victory was accomplished by the political efforts of Saudi Arabia and Egypt – enabling the resistance to succeed.

In the last few weeks a few Saudi Arabian officials have travelled to Damascus just as a number of Egyptian have as well. Jordan, by sending an official letter and a political representative, wanted to join forces with them. A few meetings took place chaired by King Abdullah and attended by some Arab heads of state, including the Syrian president. The latest meeting was last Wednesday in Riyadh where King Abdullah, the kind of Saudi Arabia, Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabbah, the prince of Kuwait, and Bashar Asad, the president of Syria attended.

The Saudi king announced in an economical meeting of the heads of Arab states held in Kuwait the day after the Gaza War ended: “Now the time to bury the differences of Arabs has come.” Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister took a step further and said in an interview: “The Kuwait Summit buried the differences of Arabs.” The Syrian president rejected this. Bashar Asad, in an interview with the Emirate newspaper Dar al-Khaleej, said: “We are now trying to make up and we cannot confirm that we do not have any differences with each other.”

Immediately after the meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday, Hosni Mubarak met with King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman. The head of Mubarak’s office stated that it was a continuation of the Riyadh meeting. Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the League of Arab States, entered Damascus. It has been decided that there will be another meeting of Arab leaders in Qatar in the next few weeks.

This shows the unified activities of Riyadh, Amman, and Cairo around one foundational axis. Everyone knows that the Islamic resistance in the region is the biggest problem for the three Arab states (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan) and also the biggest problem for the Zionist regime, America, and the west. Since Syria has a strategic relationship with Iran and the resistances in Lebanon and Palestine, it has been given great importance by this group. American and Arab groups have clearly mentioned the possibility of separating Syria from Iran and the resistance and the possibility of establishing two states – Palestine and Israel – in the occupied territories if peace between Syria and Israel is accomplished. The political organization Khawar, close to Washington, announced in the Christian Science Monitor in regards to a conclusion about the political changes in the Middle East that America, through Saudi Arabia, will try its best to put Syria in line with American policies which would necessitate it distancing itself from Iran. This American publication clearly stated that the reason that Israel lost in its war against Palestine was because the Saudi Arabian-Egyptian pole has become weak.

The meetings and talks amongst the four countries (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria) and the multiple travels of political figures to and from these countries must bee looked at with precision. The reason for this is that the resistance in the Middle East depends on the strength of Iran and Syria. Any weakness will have foundational consequences in the Middle East. In order to look into this subject, it must be said that:

1. Syria has been struggling since 1967, when the Golan Heights and Jabal Sheikh were occupied by the Zionist regime. These two places were not only strategic and economical, but they were considered a sign of the existence of the government in Damascus. Now, Syria sees an international opportunity and wants to test what would happen by claiming the loss of Golan and Jabal Sheikh. The victory of the resistance in Gaza and Hizbollah in Lebanon increases the world’s need of Syria in the eyes of Bashar. From another angle, Bashar Asad sees the dead-end that the meetings between Arab and Israeli figures in regards to the two-state solution have reached as another opportunity for Syria. The Syrian government does not give clear answers in regards to the questions about whether or not they are ready to change their relationship with the resistance or not. But, they emphasize that the peace process is not possible without the powers of the region – Hizbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine – participating in it.

2. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are holding talks with Syria in order to weaken Iran and the Arab resistance in the region. They believe that if they tempt Syria with financial benefits and the return of the strategic Golan Heights then the chain of resistance in the region will be broken and the ancient Arab movement called nationalism will replace Islam. They believe that nationalism will be enlivened and honor will be returned to these two countries. Some time ago the president of Egypt in a public address stated: “Iran is stealing the Middle East and we cannot remain silent.” If he was more precise he would have stated that Islam has taken over the Middle East and that he must find a way to take control back. At the same time it must be said that Egypt and Saudi Arabia have an internal fight as well. Egyptians consider themselves the leaders of the Arab world while Saudi Arabia believes that their status has fallen in the last thirty years.

3. Jordan and Kuwait are playing a supportive role in this movement. They are not that important. But, the presence of Kuwait emphasized the principle role of Saudi Arabia and the presence of Jordan emphasizes the principle role of Egypt. King Abdullah of Jordan and Sheikh Ahmad Sabbah of Kuwait state that they benefits of their countries are in this movement. Jordan expects Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to save it from the economical fall that it is facing along with the whole world.

4. Saudi Arabia and Egypt face many problems in these talks. One of the problems is that they want Syria to trade the relationship that it has with the resistance, which is its strongest point of honor, for a promise to give back the Golan Heights. Bashar, even though he is young, knows well that political talks and promises from Arab governments have never given results. Because of this the president of Syria states that there are differences between the contracts of peace and real peace.

5. America, after the 22-Day-War against Gaza emphasized that Israel cannot fight and must improve their conditions through diplomacy. It seems far-fetched that America is hopeful that Syria will weaken their relation with Iran and the resistance. They believe that they can make Syria change a little bit and make them think about their relationship with Iran and with America. They believe that with this the progress of Islam in the Middle East will be thwarted and the possibility of American management over the region will increase. But, this issue is just American brainstorming.

6. Another side of this issue is the Zionist regime. This regime is in a very weak state right now and does not have the ability to discuss the issue of Golan. If they debate this topic, as Bashar says, they are not ready to agree to anything. The Zionist regime believes in its internal strength and if they give back Golan Heights they will loose their existence – just as retreating from Gaza four years ago caused them to loose their security. In these conditions it is highly unlikely that Saudi Arabia could promise anything more than financial benefits to Syria. Because of this the president of Syria stated, knocking down Saudi Arabia and Egypt: “Peace treaties are nothing more than a piece of paper. But the reality is that 500 thousand Palestinians are in Syria. They must return to their homes and Golan must be given back to Syria. Until this happens there will be no changes.”

Martyr Imad Mughniyah, famously known as Hajj Ridwan, was born in Tyre in the year 1962.

Mughniyah’s family included: his father, mother, and two brothers (Jihad and Fu’ad) who would later become martyrs. After some time he left Tyre to head further south. He went to elementary and high school in the south. After completing high school he went to Beirut attending the American University (AUB).

Mughniyah, at the beginning of the 80s, joined the ’17 Force’ which was a military group fighting for Palestinian freedom. This group protected such people as Abu Ammar, Abu Jihad, and Abu Dayad. From that time he played an important role in transferring weapons from the Palestinian group to Lebanese resistance forces, Hizbollah and Amal. But, during the continuation of the Lebanese occupation by the Zionist regime in 1982, the groups fighting for Palestinian freedom were forced to leave Lebanon.

After the Palestinian soldiers left, Imad Mughniyah joined forces with Amal which was established by Imam Musa Sadr and Shahid Mustafa Chamran. But, Mughniyah joined forces with the new group, Hizbollah, when Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah left Amal for Hizbollah.

Mughniyah, after successfully completing a few missions, was given the post of the commander of Hizbollah’s bodyguard unit. Then he was chosen as the head of Hizbollah’s special mission group.

Imad Mughniyah, who was not famous in the media, was known as the shadow in the Islamic resistance. Many people considered him the brain of Hizbollah. He performed the most operations against the Zionist regime in the whole world. He was martyred one year ago in Damascus as a result of a car bomb.

The Zionist regime recognized his car 15 years ago in Dahiyah, a suburb of Beirut, and then attacked it. But, he was not in his car – but his brother was martyred at this time. This occurred after the fact that the Zionist regime offered a 5 million dollar reward on his head. Mughniyah was one of the commanders in the 33-Day-War who played an effective role.

Israel quickly claimed to welcome this act of terrorism after it was completed, but saying that it had nothing to do with it.

Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah emphasized at his funeral: “The blood of Imad Mughniyah will erase the Zionist regime from the world.”

He said: “Mughniyah left tens of thousands of soldiers aspiring for martyrdom behind him.”

Nasrallah said about the Zionist regime: “If you want to fight like this, we are prepared to fight you internationally.”

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah declared on Monday that the Islamic Resistance has the full right to possess all kinds of weaponry, including anti-aircraft weapons, emphasizing that the Resistance has the courage to use such weapons. His eminence renewed his pledge to retaliate the assassination of Islamic Resistance top commander Imad Moghniyyeh (Hajj Redwan), noting that the Resistance’s great martyr has scared the Israelis following his assassination more than ever.

Sayyed Nasrallah was speaking through a large screen during a ceremony organized by Hezbollah in the Sayyed al-Shouhadaa complex at the southern suburb of Beirut to mark the day of “loyalty to martyrs” and remember the sacrifices made by the Resistance martyrs and heroes, mainly the Islamic Resistance “martyrs’ Sheikh” Ragheb Harb, the “martyrs’ Sayyed” Abbas Moussaoui and Imad Moghniyyeh (Hajj Redwan).

Sayyed Nasrallah started his speech by recognizing and honoring the sacrifices paid by the Resistance’s martyrs and heroes for the interest of Lebanon, the whole Lebanon. “The blood of the Martyrs has returned the citizens of Marjayoun, Hasbaya, Shebaa and Bint Jbeil to their lands and homes without differentiating between those who follow the loyalty or the opposition, and with all the pride and dignity,” his eminence recalled, noting that “it’s therefore our duty to appreciate those martyrs and highly value their sacrifices.”

SAYYED NASRALLAH: SETTLEMENT OPTION IS FIASCO
Sayyed Nasrallah then tackled the relation with the Zionist enemy, noting that Lebanon was split over major political choices. “There are three options in this regard. The first one isn’t actually a choice since it stimulates approving the enemy’s existence and thus, cooperating with the enemy,” his eminence said, noting at the same time that this option couldn’t be a “popular” one in Lebanon and the Arab world. “However, there are spies,” his eminence said, adding that there are Israeli agents among Arabs, Lebanese and Palestinians.

“The second option was to conclude a settlement with the enemy,” the Resistance leader pointed out. “It means that you offer the enemy some concessions in order to get some of the extorted legal rights,” his eminence explained. “However, this choice proved its failure and fiasco.”

While pointing that “the more concessions the Arabs give, the more arrogant Israel becomes,” Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the third option rejects settlement with the enemy. “It is the resistance option,” his eminence emphasized. “Why do you want to sacrifice the Resistance for free?” Sayyed Nasrallah asked those who reject this option. “As long as the Arabs grant Israel more concessions, then the enemy will become even fiercer and will not honor its past commitments,” Sayyed Nasrallah noted.

SAYYED NASRALLAH: ALL ISRAELI LEADERS WERE DEFEATED IN LEBANON
“The Kuwait summit clearly indicates that the Arab peace initiative will not survive any longer,” Hezbollah Secretary General said. “Yet, before this summit, the Israeli answer to the Arab sticking to the Arab initiative was more extremism. The answer also came out during the Israeli elections.” Sayyed Nasrallah concluded that compromise with the enemy means conceding territories, the Quds, our security, and water in return for some of our seized lands, some prisoners and a small numbers of refugees.

The Resistance leader said that the right-wing victory in the Israeli elections correctly reflects its image. However, his eminence emphasized that there was no difference between Labor, Likud, and Kadima regarding their attitudes towards Palestinians and Arabs, stressing that all Zionist parties were the same.

However, Sayyed Nasrallah called on everyone not to worry a lot due to the results of the Israeli elections. “All the Israeli leaders who threaten us were defeated in Lebanon,” his eminence recalled, noting that there was no difference between the Israeli parties. “However, Israel is not as mighty as it used to be and the resistance is not as weak as it used to be,” the Resistance leader emphasized. Sayyed Nasrallah also pointed out that, among the Israeli leaders who took part in the recent elections, Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman is “the only one who has yet to lose in Lebanon.”

Recalling the Israeli 22-day offensive against the Palestinian people in the Gaza strip, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the main lesson learned from the Gaza war was that the Israeli army is not capable of winning a battle. The Israelis did not try to storm residential areas in the Gaza strip because they were “scared of facing the resistance,” his eminence emphasized.

Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the Israeli upcoming government warning against any attempt to “invade” Lebanon once again. “The students of Hajj Redwan, Sayyed Abbas Moussawi and Sheikh Ragheb Harb will destroy the Israeli Army tanks in case it tried to invade any part of Lebanon,” his eminence vowed.

SAYYED NASRALLAH: WE HAVE RIGHT TO POSSESS ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONS AND USE THEM
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary General refused to admit or deny what is said about the Resistance’s acquiring of arms. “Of course, I do not admit nor deny what is said about the Resistance’s acquiring of defense air weapons,” the Resistance leader said.

“Every few days there is an Israeli media report that the resistance has obtained advanced air-defense weapons, of course I don’t deny or confirm this,” Sayyed Nasrallah said. “What I want to confirm today is that we have every right to obtain any weapon, including air-defense weapons, and we have every right to use this weapon,” he said.

“We have the right to acquire any kind of weaponry, including the anti-aircraft weapons, and we have the right to use it,” Sayyed Nasrallah declared. “It is our right to possess any weapons, including Air Defense, to defend our land,” his eminence explained.

Sayyed Nasrallah noted that obtaining such a system would tip the balance in any conflict with Israel because the Zionist entity relies heavily on air supremacy in its military planning.

SAYYED NASRALLAH: ISRAELIS SCARED OF HAJJ REDWAN MORE THAN EVER
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary General renewed his pledge to retaliate the assassination of Islamic Resistance top commander Imad Moghniyyeh (Hajj Redwan). However, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the Resistance’s great martyr has scared the Israelis following his assassination more than ever.

“Imad Moghniyyeh will continue to hunt the Israelis wherever they go, day and night,” Sayyed Nasrallah vowed. His eminence stressed that he was not concerned with clarifying things concerning the revenge. “Some of those who wrote during this month about the issue were ambiguous. They ask about the reasons of the delay in Hezbollah’s retaliation and at the same time warn that any act could plunge the country into a rejected war,” Sayyed Nasrallah noted. “Anyway, I don’t have to repeat the pledge but we promised and we will fulfill our promise of course,” Sayyed Nasrallah vowed.

SAYYED NASRALLAH CALLS ON NATION TO SUPPORT RESISTANCE
Before turning to the local affairs, the Resistance leader didn’t forget to urge the whole nation to support the resistance option in confronting the Zionist enemy. His eminence called on Arab and Islamic governments, including those who might have negotiated with the enemy, to embrace the Resistance. “It’s wrong to set the Resistance factions accountable because the Resistance is no doubt strength for the nation,” Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized.

His eminence, meanwhile, renewed his support to all forms of dialogue and to the Palestinian-Palestinian reconcliation. Sayyed Nasrallah also welcomed any inter-Arab reconciliation, especially between Saudi Arabia and Syria. “We support any kind of Palestinian reconciliation, and we express our support of any kind of Arab rapprochement; especially between Saudi Arabia and Syria,” his eminence said.

SAYYED NASRALLAH CALLS FOR CALM, DENOUNCES VIOLENCE
Sayyed Nasrallah devoted a large part at the end of his speech for the Lebanese internal affairs. His eminence commented on Saturday’s commemoration of the forth anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri by the March 14 forces. His eminence expressed hope that one day, the blood of martyrs, especially the great ones, would bind the Lebanese together.

While stressing on the serious need to respect all martyrs, Sayyed Nasrallah called for calm and condemned violence that resulted in the death of a civilian after taking part in the March 14 festival. “The escalation of rhetoric resulted in violence, however, violence is denounced,” Hezbollah Secretary General affirmed, while asking the youth to fear God, and not to express rage in a way that destroys the country and throws it into hell.

“Lutfi Abbas Zeineddine’s martyrdom is painful for us,” Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized, calling to tackle the underlying causes of the incident in order to prevent the repetition of such incidents in the future. His eminence relayed condolences to the Progressive Socialist Party and its leader MP Walid Jumblatt as well as Zeineddine’s family.

SAYYED NASRALLAH CALLS FOR MASS PARTICIPATION IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
The forthcoming parliamentary elections were also tackled by Hezbollah Secretary General who called on the Lebanese to take part massively in the elections in order to express themselves. His eminence called on all political factions to set the stage for the elections without provocation.

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Lebanon can only ruled by consensus, irrespective of whoever wins the majority in the elections. His eminence declared that if the opposition wins the election it will offer the other party the blocking minority. “However, if they refused, we will offer a new model far from revenge and maliciousness,” Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized, adding that the opposition would then rule without consensus, but with a national perspective.

“Ignoring the parties representing Christians is the reason behind the quartet alliance failure,” Sayyed Nasrallah said. His eminence declared, afterwards, the end of the age of bilateralism, reiterating once again that “only consensus will protect Lebanon.”
“If the monopoly persists, there will be no country left to govern,” Sayyed Nasrallah explained.

Sayyed Nasrallah also urged MPs to adopt a law allowing those who are 18 years old to vote in the forthcoming elections. “You have to fulfill your promises and offer the young generation the ability to take part in the decision-making process, if not this year then the next one,” his eminence addressed the MPs.

YASSER ABBAS MOUSSAOUI VOWS TO CONTINUE MARTYRS’ PATH
The Loyalty to Martyrs’ ceremony has started with the martyrs’ families’ word that was delivered by Yasser Moussaoui, the son of martyr Sayyed Abbas Moussaoui, on behalf of his family, the family of Hajj Redwan and the family of Sheikh Ragheb Harb.

Moussaoui vowed to continue the martyrs’ path until achieving complete victory or joining the procession of martyrs. He stressed that the Resistance was firm and solid, noting that this firmness would continue until achieving complete victory “no matter how many sacrifices should be paid to reach this goal.” He stressed that the 27 years of the life of the Islamic Resistance have proved that the force which is based on the belief in God is the best means to liberate the land from the occupation. He concluded by calling on Muslims and Arabs to stop betting on a fake “peace.”

Hamas isn’t Hizballah and Gaza isn’t Lebanon. The resistance in Gaza — which includes leftist and nationalist as well as Islamist forces — doesn’t have mountains to fight in. It has no strategic depth. It doesn’t have Syria behind it to keep supply lines open; instead it has Israel’s wall and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s goons. Lebanese civilians can flee north and east, while Gaza’s repeat-refugees have no escape. The Lebanese have their farms, and supplies from outside; Gaza has been under total siege for years. Hizballah has remarkable discipline and is surely the best-trained, most disciplined force in the region. Although it has made great strides, Hamas is still undisciplined. Crucially, Hizballah has air-tight intelligence control in Lebanon, while Gaza contains collaborators like maggots in a corpse.

But Hamas is still standing. On the rare occasions when Israel actually fought — rather than just called in air strikes — its soldiers reported “ferocious” resistance. Hamas withstood 22 days of the most barbaric bombing Zionism has yet stooped to, and did not surrender. Rocket fire continued from Gaza after Israel declared its unilateral ceasefire.

Let’s put this in context. In 1947-48 Zionist militias drove out more than 700,000 Palestinians without too much trouble. In 1967 it took Israel six days to destroy the Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian armies, and to capture the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. Zionism’s last “victory” was the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization from Beirut in 1982 — if it was a victory.

The long and bloody occupation of Lebanon gave birth to new forms of resistance. Where Arab states and armies had failed, popular resistance removed American and French forces from Beirut, and then steadily rolled back the Israelis. The first suicide bomber of the conflict was a Marxist woman of Christian background. The human bomb was a tactic to which Israeli troops had no answer. Hizballah formed, and developed into the power that would drive Israel from almost all of Lebanon by 2000. In 2006 Israel returned, in an effort to finish the resistance once and for all. What happened was a historic turnaround: for five weeks Israeli troops bled in the border villages, and failed to move beyond them. For the first time, the hi-tech, first-world savagery of the Zionist army, supposedly the fourth strongest army in the world, was kept at bay. Israel of course killed far more civilians than Hizballah did, and performed its usual rampage against civilian infrastructure, but in terms of the soldiers in battle, casualties were roughly equal.

There has been a lot of talk, particularly by Arab collaborators, about Hizballah being an Iranian proxy. While Iran does assist the resistance with weapons and funds, the Lebanese resistance is Lebanese, the creation of the villagers of the south and the Bekaa, and the families of the southern suburbs of Beirut. It was the people themselves who turned Zionism back. Even more improbably, the same collaborators now accuse Hamas, a democratically-elected Palestinian Sunni movement, of taking orders from Tehran.

One reason given for this latest massacre in Gaza was Israel’s desire to restore its deterrence after the 2006 debacle. Certainly the Arabs now know (as if they didn’t know before) that any whisper of resistance will be met by the most fanatical violence. Certainly Hamas and others will have to factor this into their tactical decisions. But in strategic terms the Israeli deterrent looks even shoddier than it did a month ago. The Arab peoples are no longer scared of Israel, whatever Israel throws at them. A psychological tipping point has been passed, and this, in the long term, counts for more than nuclear bombs.

Even as Western and Zionist officials grin and hug, the siege of Gaza continues and the people are now facing starvation. However, their suffering seems to have strengthened the resistance. The communities of south Lebanon and south Beirut, those which suffered most in 2006, have redoubled their loyalty to Hizballah.

In spite of Israel’s onslaught in Gaza, in Palestine and throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds, Hamas and the resistance option it represents is immeasurably stronger. The ridiculous no-longer-president-of-anything Mahmoud Abbas, and the gangs loyal to Fatah warlord Muhammad Dahlan, are much weaker. It wasn’t Abbas but Hamas political chief in exile, Khaled Meshal who represented Palestine at the Doha emergency summit last month. While the Abbas-Dahlan traitors arrested Hamas activists, and tried (and largely failed) to suppress solidarity demonstrations on the West Bank, the resistance was standing firm against Zionist terror.

In solidarity with the resistance, Palestinians in Israel organized the biggest demonstrations in their history. There is no doubt to which nation these Palestinians belong, especially in the eyes of the main Israeli political parties, which sought to ban Arab parties from standing in the approaching elections on the grounds of “disloyalty” to the apartheid state.

What now? Enough nonsensical talk of peace processes. Peace might be nice, but it isn’t, and never has been, on the agenda. It is time to build a new Palestine Liberation Organization, as elected as possible, to represent all Palestinians, both Islamist and secular, those living in the lands stolen in 1948, the lands stolen in 1967, and those in exile. The Palestinian Authority should be abolished, and the Oslo/Road Map farce officially abandoned. Then Palestinians have to decide what their aims and strategies will be. The two-state solution is no solution. There is a huge amount of work to do. All Palestinians should agitate for the new organization.

Since the time that the Israelis were forced to give 5 Lebanese prisoners and 199 martyrs’ bodies in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli prisoners they endured another heavy defeat.

The truth is that the heads of Zionism came to the conclusion that a direct war against Hizbollah (experience from the 33-Day-War) cannot destroy this people’s movement. Because of this, in a fruitless effort, they wanted to propagate against Hizbollah in order to get the public opinion in their hands.

Israeli figures announced on many occasions that they will free Golad Shalit (a Zionist soldier that was held captive) or they would assassinate Samir Quntar, the oldest Lebanese prisoner that was released from the Zionist grip.

The Zionists even went further than this and warned that they would also assassinate all leading figures of the resistance, including Sayyid Hassan Nasrullah – the secretary-genreal of Hizbollah.

This occurred when the Lebanese newspaper al-Mustaqbil pulled the curtain on the cooperation between the Israeli spy agency (Mosad) with America and some Arab countries of the region in order to assassinate the leaders of Hizbollah.

From another angle, the international reaction, even in Israel, of the prisoner exchange angered Israeli officials because the people of the world became very happy at the release of Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners. They sent various letters congratulating Hizbollah for this victory.

America’s goal was to seek revenge from Hizbollah for its victory in the 33-Day-War and establishing a government completely dependent on it in Lebanon. But, this scenario was destroyed with the strategical error of Fuad Siniora’s cabinet deciding to take away Hizbollah’s telecommunication capabilities.

About six months ago, David Walsh, an undersecretary for the Department of State, in a travel to Saudi Arabia talked about a hot and difficult summer for Lebanon. Soon after these remarks American politicians and military started changing their actions in the region. Washington, with the excuse of strengthening the Lebanese military and helping the government in Beirut, armed the 14th of March Political Party and prepared them for a hot and difficult summer with many weapons. A few months ago over 3000 armed personnel were ready to play their role carrying out American orders. In this framework, George Bush labeled Hizbollah a terrorist organization and his readiness to destroy it. The general that was the head in Afghanistan and Iraq was deployed to Beirut to announce the readiness of the paramilitary wing of the 14th of March Political Party for this hot and difficult summer. The last link to this scenario was the deployment of the American Battleship Cole to the Mediterranean and its entrance to the Lebanese shore.

Everything was ready for Walsh’s hot summer until America, with the excuse of a Lebanese civil war and the effects of it in the region and well as world peace and with a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for the direct presence of its military in Lebanon.

The Vice General Secretary of Hizbollah, his eminence sheikh Naem Qassim, received a visit from the American Association operating for the promotion of peace and human rights under the leadership of the retired American consul, Richard Vince, accompanied by the ambassador of the international organisation for human rights and the chairman of the Lebanese Assembly For the detainees and the liberated.

Sheikh Qassim said: “Hizbollah is calling for peace on the basis of justice and the principle of returning the rights to their rightful owners. The party of God has always taken a defensive stand towards the land, sovereignty and the freedom of decisionand the rejection of guardianship and occupation. It has dealt with those who differ in opinion and political stance in a political manner. Its resistance against Israel was a clear matter to the world for the sake of freedom and defence.

And he said: America today with its haughty management is the cause of allcrises and problems in our region. It has not engaged in any affair without aggravating its problems and complicating the means to its resolution. America is successful in finding crises and thorny affairs, and it is failure in resolution. And it is the cause of the great tension in the region, whether it be in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine or with Lebanon, Syria or Iran even in Pakistan and other regions from the Arab and the Islamic world.

Hezbollah commemorated the eighth anniversary of the Resistance and Liberation Day in a huge central festival in Beirut’s southern suburb.

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked from across Lebanon into the Raya playground in the Sfeir region. Representatives of President Michel Suleiman and House Speaker Nabih Berri attended the festival alongside diplomatic, political, religious and Hezbollah figures also took part in the annual event.

Waiving yellow Hezbollah flags, people chanted Lebanese and Hezbollah anthems and challenged US-sponsored allegations that Hezbollah’s popular base has diminished.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah appeared on a huge screen amid cheers and pledges of allegiance.

“Our eighth anniversary coincides with the 60th anniversary of usurping Palestine and the establishment of the oppressive entity. It also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Israeli invasion to south Lebanon. Hence this is a time to contemplate and draw lessons whether in Lebanon or in the Arab and Israeli worlds.”

Sayyed Nasrallah said that the resistance has served as an example and a strategy in two areas: “There is a strategy for liberation and removing the occupation, and a strategy of defending the homeland and people in the face of aggressiveness, threats and an invasion…This is our message today to Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic worlds; it’s a joint message by the resistance in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq to the whole nation. When Israel invaded south Lebanon in 1978, UNSC resolution 425 was issued, we waited for its implementation and we bargained on the international community. In Lebanon, there were suggestions that a united Arab strategy be formed to confront the aggression. None of this happened, neither by the international community nor by Arab governments that had abandoned the choice of confrontation.
Imam Mussa Sadr here in Lebanon had established the choice of resistance with the help of southerners and of course trust in Almighty Allah.”

The Hezbollah chief elaborated saying that the consequences of the wrong choices saw Israel deeming Lebanon a weak state and invaded it in 1982, “thus creating a second Arab Nakba (Catastrophe).
“The Lebanese were divided into: a neutral group, a second unconcerned group, a third group of cheap collaborators, a fourth group that had intersecting interests with the Israelis, a fifth already defeated group that was looking forward to cooperate with the occupation on any level in the framework of cutting losses, a sixth group that, politically and through the media, rejects occupation and a seventh group that believes that its national, religious and moral obligation is to take up arms and liberate the country regardless of the price; this is the group of the resistance.”

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed such division resulted in a lack of consensus on the resistance.
“I tell anyone whose country is under occupation: Don’t wait for consensus…take up your arms and head to liberation. This is what happened in Lebanon. The resistance that constituted a part of the Lebanese people depended on its will and the strength of its fighters in the battlefield. The Arab and Islamic worlds should have helped them, but many of these governments lagged behind, however Syria and Iran spearheaded the countries that assisted the resistance and consequently the historic victory in 2000; a clear victory for Lebanon, the resistance, the Arabs and the Umma. It was also a clear defeat to Israel and its “from-Euphrates-to-Nile- Rivers” scheme in the region. The strategy of liberation adopted by the resistance was successful while the strategy of negotiations failed to gain back an inch of Lebanese land and the strategy of wait-and-see was making the enemy stronger.”

The Secretary General set other examples.
“In 1948, the Palestinians were waiting in vain for their Arab brethren to form a unified Arab strategy or for the international community to act. The Palestinian resistance was the reason why the world woke up to the fact that there is a Palestinian cause. Every achievement was the achievement of the resistance. The big achievement was in blockaded Gaza where the resistance managed to defeat the occupation and forced it to withdraw unconditionally. “The Gaza Strip is fighting Israel just as we did. The strategy of resistance succeeded in Lebanon and will succeed in Gaza too.
In occupied Iraq, there are those who believe in resistance and others in politics…Today, you must take the decisive position. The resistance has been dealing severe blows to the US occupation army. Iraq is called to follow the strategy of the resistance.”

Sayyed Nasrallah added that Hezbollah has also presented a defensive pattern. “Israeli judge Winograd wondered in his report how a few thousand men defeated Israel and withstood week of fighting. Your steadfastness, the blood of your martyrs and the resistance have decreased the possibility of war in the region between Israel and Iran or Israel and Syria. I tell whoever is bargaining on a US or Israeli strike on Lebanon, we fought in 2006 and we will fight in any coming war…I tell (US President George W.) Bush and (US Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice, who spoke of Hezbollah’s defeat, that as long as Hezbollah relies on Allah and his people, you are the ones who will be defeated,” he stated.

His eminence called on this occasion all Arab people to reconsider the resistance’s strategy of defense and liberation. “In Lebanon, we talk about defense. What we need now is a liberation strategy for the Shebaa Farms, Kafarshouba Farms and the detainees in Israeli jails. The prisoners are our commitment and Samir Kuntar and his brothers will soon return to Lebanon.”

“On the 25th of May 2000, I stood in Bint Jbeil and declared this a victory for all the Lebanese, the Palestinians and the whole Umma. I said that what we did was our duty and we don’t ask for anything in return. We called upon the authorities to take their responsibilities in all of the country. We did not prosecute the collaborators and we had no armed appearance. We asked them to take care of south Lebanon and the deprived regions like Baalbek and Hermel. We did not ask for reshaping the regime or the Taef Accord. We did not ask for anything. They argue that the resistance in France laid down its arms after liberation. I tell them that throughout history, every victorious resistance in every country took the reins of power, but we did not ask for that. I renew my position today: we do not want to share power in Lebanon and we don’t want to rule the country or impose our thoughts on the people,” his eminence stressed.
“They speak of a coup and bringing back Syria into Lebanon. They also said that Hezbollah is fighting for the sake of Iran’s nuclear program. When the “government” revoked its two black decisions the opposition proved in Doha that it does not want to monopolize power and did not raise the ceiling of demands. We went there to save Lebanon from sedition and (David) Welch’s) hot summer. We did not employ what happened recently in politicas and we did not ask for political gains. Isn’t this enough for those who accuse us of dreaming of power and authority? From the pride Dahiyeh, I renew my call for a national partnership where there is no victor and no vanquished…Hezbollah does not want power over Lebanon, nor does it want to control Lebanon or govern the country for we believe that Lebanon is a special, pluralistic country. The existence of this country only comes about through coexistence, and this is what we are demanding,” he said.

“I am in front of two options: Either I explain what happened before the two black decision were taken, and I don’t wish to do that, or I delay discussing the matter, and this is not fair. But I choose to delay the discussion, however I say that there are deep wounds on both sides, so either we irritate the wounds or we swathe them. I suggest the second option. We should draw lessons. Let us postpone this until the wounds are healed and a new phase in the country begins,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

His eminence thanked Arabs, especially Qatar, the Arab Ministerial Committee, Syria and Iran, and everyone who contributed in making the Doha Agreement that ended the Lebanese crisis a concrete reality.

On the arms of the resistance, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “I today reaffirm the Doha agreement clause that precludes the use of arms to attain political goals. When we go to discussion, we will discuss this. The resistance’s arms are to fight the enemy, liberate lands and prisoners, and defend Lebanon – and for nothing else. The government’s arms, or the army and armed forces, is also to defend the nation, the people and their rights, the government, and to maintain security. The government’s arms cannot be used to settle accounts with a political opposition team. The government’s arms cannot be used for foreign projects that prevent Lebanon from facing Israel. The government’s arms cannot be used to nail the resistance and its arms. All arms must remain at the service of the goal they were created for.”

The Hezbollah chief stressed the electoral law that has been reached gives better representation that previous ones, and particularly the 2000 law.
“We do not claim that this is the ideal law. This is a law that we all agreed on to bring Lebanon out of the crisis. We hope that a time would come when the Lebanese discuss an up-to-date electoral law to build a state. Those who do not want to build a state are unveiled when they approach the issue of the electoral law,” his eminence said.

Sayyed Nasrallah also said that the election of General Michel Suleiman as President renews hope among the Lebanese for a new stage. The presidential oath we heard Sunday reflects the spirit of agreement President Suleiman had promised. What Lebanon needs is agreement, participation and cooperation.
“When I addressed you in the Riyad el-Soloh Square and promise you victory again, I did not mean the victory of one group on the other, I meant the formation of a national unity government; the victory of May 25, 2000, as well as the victory of July 2006, and the accomplishment in Doha. I promise that the opposition’s representation in the government will not be limited to Hezbollah, Amal and the Change and Reform bloc. We will give other opposition parties shares – and unfortunately we must speak of shares – even if it is at the expense of Hezbollah’s shares.”

Sayyed Nasrallah called on “party of former Prime Minister Martyr Rafiq Hariri” to benefit from “the experience of this great man (Rafiq Hariri). ” Whoever is loyal to the martyred Premier must preserve his loyalty. We do not want monopoly or alliance; what we want is cooperation and participation as widely as possible.

“There are many names to be thanked today and I apologize for not naming them. It’s a long list, and I thank them for their courageous stances. We thank the Sunni leaderships in Lebanon and the Islamic world because they thwarted the US project which sought to portray any struggle as a sectarian struggle. We thank the Druze leadership for their courageous, wise stances … for their refused to define the struggle as a Shiite-Druze struggle. We thank the Christian leadership that stressed the struggle was political, not confessional. We have lost 14 martyrs whom we are proud of, and there are martyrs from the Lebanese Brigades to Resist the Occupation, the Amal Movement , the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the Democratic Party and other opposition loyalists from all religions. We are proud of all these martyrs. We feel the pain of the victims of the other team as well. The comfort to the families of both sides is that the blood of their children saved Lebanon from the dark tunnel. We the martyrs, for they have put Lebanon before a new summer and a new phase. From our beloved Beirut to the Mount Lebanon, from the South to every area in Lebanon, you have the love and appreciation of the resistance on the anniversary of the liberation of Lebanon,” Sayyed Nasrallah concluded.

. 26 years have passed since June 1982 were the names Dahiyah and Khaldeh passed through American and European telegrams. The youth of Dahiyah, a small village in the Southern Lebanese area of Khaldeh was able to hold the classical, prepared Israeli army for forty days with Molotov cocktails and light weapons that they already had with them.An AP reporter went to them on the 6th of September 1982 and asked them to introduce themselves. They responded: “We are the followers of Imam Khomeini. We consider death martyrdom and are not scared of any power.” The AP continued its report in September of 1982 by saying: “The spirits of the youth of Dahiyah can be seen all over South Lebanon. Tyre, Sayda, and Balbak are no less than Dahiyah either.”

Hizbollah was born with the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Lebanon and showed itself in the summer of that energetic year – 1982. It was a power which only a few people could imagine would have the power that it has today.

2. About one month ago, on the 24th of April, 2008, George Bush who prepared himself to visit the Middle East and take part in the occupied territory’s 60th anniversary gave news of America’s strong desire to topple Hizbollah. Some American and European news outlets called this a gift to Israel before his trip to occupied Palestine. A few days afterwards, Siniora’s government in an unexpected move fired the head of Beirut’s airport’s security who was a supporter of Hizbollah. It also called Hizbollah’s telephone system illegal. This move by the 14th of March political party which illegally held Lebanon’s government was faced with a serious warning by Hizbollah’s leader, Sayyid Hassan Nasrullah. At the same time, America emphasized that it will completely support the government and the American warship Cole entered Lebanon’s shores. Then, as always, Sayyid Hassan Nasrullah disgregarded America’s threats and gave Siniora a few days to retake his statements about the head of Beirut’s airport’s security and Hizbollah’s telephone system. When the government’s insistence and America’s support was seen, in a quick, accounted for move all of the centers under the control of the 14th of March political party were taken over along with their leaders. The continuance of this quick move in which America and the 14th of March PP did not expect showed the deep influence that Hizbollah has on the Lebanese people. Once again after the 33-Day-War a Lebanese struggle ended in the favor of Hizbollah. Hizbollah’s move was so unexpected from the view of America and Israel that Israel gave the order for all of its troops to be completely prepared. Some leaders of the 14th of March PP ran away from Beirut. The Siniora government, who thought itself to be strong with the backing of America only a few hours before, was forced to give in to the resistance’s orders. They retreated from what they said a few days before. According to the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar a number of CIA and Mosad officials who came to Lebanon to command this move and who stayed in the American embassy made a bridge between Beirut and Qabars escaping the situation.

It is worth mentioning that Walid Jumblatt, the head of one of the 14th of March PP’s groups who is undeniably attached to America and the Zionist regime and who escaped Beirut after the resistance’s lighting move, made fun of America’s promise of help in an interview and said: “Apparently the American Cole was sent to save us from Lebanon – not to help us in Lebanon.”

3. After the Hizbollah victory, which according to the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar was a slap in face to America before it was a blow on the 14th of March PP, the demands of Hizbollah that were made after their victory in the 33-Day-War were once again put uat the forefront. The reason for this is that after Hizbollah’s victories the resistance in Lebanon is not seen as a mere political power, rather as the Israeli newspaper Ma’ariv wrote: “Hizbollah showed that it is a popular movement and has took the power of the country who trusts and believes in them.”

The Doha Talks with the presence of Arabic foreign ministers, representatives of the resistance, and the 14th of March PP lead by Qatar was formed in this situation. From the beginning the Doha Talks could do nothing except give in to some of Hizbollah’s demands. It is clearly expected that Hizbollah will gain strength and the 14th of March PP will loose power, although most of the Arabs who took part in the talks wanted to protect the power of the 14th of March PP more than make Hizbollah loose power. Therefore, Hizbollah’s victory in the Doha Talks proves their strength – not that the things given to them makes them strong. Because of Hizbollah’s moves in the past two years the 14th of March PP did not have any other choice but to accept what the decisions in the Doha Talks were.

4. Hizbollah’s demands were: the establishment of the national-unified government, Mishel Sulayman becoming president, and 11 seats of the parliament (one-third reserved for the resistance) which gives them the power of veto. This plan was called the Mishel ‘Aun plan and was accepted in Doha. It should be noted that when these talks were announced Lebanese people in Beirut and other places protested saying that the Lebanese political heads have rigged these talks. They said: “This helped speed up the process.

5. The most important result of the Doha Talks was Hizbollah crossing the limits. Hizbollah created a nation in the past few years by their faith, bravery, sincerity, popularity, and their lives while protecting Lebanon and its entire population regardless of their religion or tribe. They brought a country who has been at discord and internal war since the Ottoman empire to a unified position showing that Lebanon’s peace will only be in unity.

6. After the results of the Doha Talks were mentioned American figures such as Khalilzad, Afghanistan’s representative in the United Nations said that they were going to make a United Nations Security Council resolution regarding Hizbollah. They said that since Hizbollah has turned national so the resolution number 1701 is illegal and nobody has the right to interfere in internal politics – making Siniora’s American backed movement illegal.